A growing issue
Around the world, a growing number of analyses are required at every step in the food and feed supply chains. Numerous scandals have occurred over the past 20 years, creating an increased awareness of food hazards, caused both by naturally-occurring and manmade spoilages and contaminations. Facing an enormous demand for testing, both the Analytical Service Market and the Test Kit Market (TKM) have been growing at an average rate of 5-10% annually even when and where the economic crisis was quite serious. Market analysts forecast further similar growth over the next 5 years due both to consumer demand for safe food and to the implementation of new regulations (the allergen testing market is a good example of this growth). Some industries prefer to outsource testing but in some cases it is mandatory or advisable to conduct rapid on-site controls, particularly to verify the quality of incoming raw materials.
Too many options
When a Food Business Operator (FBO) has to choose between outsourcing or purchasing a test kit, or when an external laboratory or kit supplier must be selected, there is no resource to support rational management purchasing decisions. Where can a FBO find a list of laboratories able to test for the presence of soy in a food product? Where can a laboratory find a test kit for acrylamide, if any are even available? Do any laboratory have the ISO17025 accreditation for the test kit I want to buy? Accreditation bodies have data bases of laboratories, but they do not provide information about the Turn Around Time (TAT) or the LOD of the accredited method.
Detailed test kit information is often available on manufacturers’ web sites but each company presents this information in a different way and, in any case, we don’t know how many web sites we might need to visit to make an informed choice.
One reliable source
Food Test Compass is a unique tool designed to help you choose the analytical solution you need. It will no longer be necessary to Google the analytical target and spend hours trying to understand which supplier is right for you. With just a few clicks, Food Test Compass will provide you with the whole spectra of analytical possibilities, help you compare products, show you reviews from other users, and allow you to share your own experiences in order to improve the entire food safety community.
We’re asking for the cooperation of both method providers and end-users in order to improve this innovative service. Please do not hesitate to send us any requests or suggestions.